ADA Accommodations

Americans with Disabilities Act

Like all other institutions, the University operates within the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is a federal civil rights law that “prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities who are otherwise qualified to participate in programs, activities, and services of state and local public entities such as MU.”

Information about ADA and the wide array of support services for students with disabilities is found at the Office of the ADA Coordinator site. For specific information about support services for student with disabilities, you can also refer to the Disability Center.

Classroom and Testing Accommodations

The Disability Center coordinates classroom accommodations. Appropriate accommodations include, but are not limited to, providing specialized equipment, interpreters, note takers and extended time on tests. The Disability Center can also help with temporary disabilities (for example, transportation around campus for a student with a broken leg).

Special Accommodations

It is the policy of the University to provide reasonable accommodations for students who have learning and other disabilities, unless doing so would constitute an undue hardship on the University, substantially alter essential elements of the academic program or course of study, or otherwise compromise academic standards.

It is also our policy to require students with disabilities seeking academic accommodations like extended time on tests, course modifications, and course substitutions to first register with the Disability Center. The Disability Center is responsible for reviewing disability documentation provided by students, and for recommending accommodations as needed to provide equal educational opportunities.

In situations where accommodations other than course substitution have been recommended and implemented and despite the student’s diligent efforts, the course remains an obstacle to progression toward a degree, course substitution can be considered as an alternative.

In the rare event a course substitution is justified, the substitutions will be guided by policy established by the department (i.e. math, foreign language, etc.) offering the original course in consultation with the student’s major department.

Course substitutions should not constitute waivers of essential elements of the curriculum. We strongly urge that undergraduate deans and advisers limit accommodations to those recommended by the Disability Center, and that if and when students request additional accommodations, they be consulted before acting on these requests.

Course requirements and the essential elements of courses of study are set by faculty, who are ultimately responsible for determining whether a requested accommodation would compromise the integrity of an academic program.